NUR-SULTAN. KAZINFORM – There is no “Almaty” strain of coronavirus. This was stated by the head of the laboratory of collective use of the Research Institute of Biological Safety Problems of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan, PhD Yerbol Burashev, the correspondent of MIA “Kazinform” reports.
“Ten days ago, we took positive samples for COVID-19, as a result of research, a strain was found that already belongs to a new variant of the British-type coronavirus infection. Currently, more in-depth studies are being conducted on its viral release. At the moment, we have already sequenced the spike protein and assigned it to the British type. The identified strain of coronavirus corresponds to the British strain, which circulates in Europe, the United States. Simply put, there is no new “Almaty” strain, the identified strain has been circulating in the world for a long time since the end of December, but it was only identified in our country,” Yerbol Burashev explained in a telephone conversation to a Kazinform correspondent.
He also spoke about the distinctive features of the identified strain of coronavirus.
“Unlike other strains, it is characterized by higher contagiousness and pathogenicity, and therefore it is spreading more rapidly around the world. That is, it is more contagious, its effects on the body have not yet been fully studied,” – added Yerbol Burashev.
The expert noted that the pandemic spread of the disease continues and the possibilities of changing genetic properties, phenotypic traits (pathogenicity, contagiousness, antigenicity), the causative agent of the disease in the process of epidemic circulation are high. According to the research of foreign scientists, the SARS-CoV-2 virus passed through multiple natural passages, which led to genetic changes in the genome, therefore, new phylogenetic variations of the COVID-19 pathogen, such as “British” and “South African” strains, appeared.
Scientists of the RSE “Scientific Research Institute of Biological Safety Problems” of the SC of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan conducted an analysis of samples of biological materials submitted on 19.03.2021 by the branch “Scientific and Practical Center for Sanitary and Epidemiological Expertise and Monitoring” of the RSE at the “National Center for Public Health” of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
As a result of the work carried out that samples of the surface Spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus were sequenced. Studies have shown the presence of mutations, point substitutions and deletions corresponding to the “British” type of Covid-19, clade G. The resulting nucleotide sequences were sent to the GenBank international database for escrow.
According to GISAID, this clade G is currently widespread everywhere.
https://www.inform.kz/ru/nikakogo-almatinskogo-shtamma-koronavirusa-ne-suschestvuet-ekspert_a3770135